Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-02-08
A SHAME ON THE SENATE
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND DIS
GRACEFULLY INSULTED.

| The Reply of the Upper House on the
Nomination of Matthews Given to the
Public - A BOld-FAced Declaration
that the Hide Bound P~rtisan Doug
| lass Should Have Been Retained.
WASHINGTON, Feb. The rejection Of
James G. Matthews, OF Albany, N. Y.
nominated to be Recorder OF Deeds Of the
District of Columbia, will be sent to the
President tomorrow, the order having
been given by the Senate to-day, which
at the same time, removed the injunction
OF secrecy from the vote and all papers
relating to the case. The papers com
prise the formal resolution Of the Senate
rejecting the nomination, upon which the
vote stood 81 to II, as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Allison, Blackburn, Bowen
Chace, Coke, Coucer, Cullom, Dawes, Ed
munds, Eustis. Evarts, German, Hawley,
Hoar, Ingalls,, Jones' of Nevada; Mcmillan,
| Malone, Morgan, Palmer, Flumb, Pugh, Ran
| som, salisbury, sawyer, Sewell. sherman.
Spooner, Vance. Williams and Wilson, OF
Nays-Messrs. Beck, Blair Brown, Call,
| Cockrell, ColquiJt, Farwell, Glib on, Hamp-
ton. Harris, Jones. of Arkansas; MCPHERSON.
| Mitchell, of Oregon; Payne, Vest, Walthall
and Whtthorne-lI.
Messrs. Berry, Butler, Camden, Gamer
on Gray aud kenna have announced thai t
they would have voted in the nogative
had they been present and not paired,
and Messrs. Henderson, Miller, Stanford
and Teller have announced that they
would have voted in the Affirmative. The
document prepared by Senator ingalls,
and offered in the form OF a resolution
has been adopted by the Senate to-day
and will be sent with the rejection to the
| President. The vote upon the adoption
of this resolution stood 26 to 1S, and the
division was upon strict party lines.
The injunction of secrecy was removed
upon motion of Mr.. Riddeberger, whicn
was carried by a vote ot 46 to l, Mr.. Nor
gan casting the negative vote.
DoDGING THE ISSUE.
This resolution, after reciting the nomi-
nation OF Matthews, his rejection and re-
nomination, and quoting in full Presi-
dent Cleveland's communication of Dec.
2l accompanying the denomination, pro-
ceeds:
The Senate does not consider that 1t is re-
quired either to admit or to deny theproprie-
ty or correctness of the conjecture of the Pres
ident as to the reasons by which it was guided
| IN declining to confirm the original nomina-
| ton. The President attempts TO Justify the
denomination of Matthews by stating:
| /. That the fitness OF the nominee mas been
| demonstrated.
.. That the previous opposition to his ap-
| pOlntment among the citizens OF the District
| has largely subsidized.
3. That he desires in this way to tender Just
| recognition and good faith toward our colOred
| fellow citizens.
THE RACE ISSUE.
1t is sufficient answer to the first two rea =
sons alleged to say that neither could have
been applicable wnen Matthews was ap-
pointed in August, Immediately after the ad-
iournment of the Senate, for at that time his
fitness had not been demonstrated, nor had
fHnE hnn AnV mt vol fAF nal
to subside. Until suggested by the President
the Senate was not aware that the question of
just recognition or good faith toward our
colOred fellow citizens, was involved in the
question and it has never before been urged
that q persons nomination for an office should
be confirmed or rejected because he was
black, or because he was white. Classidca-
tion has been abolished By the suppression OF
the rebellion and by amendments of the con-
stitution, and is no longer properly to be re-
cognized in dealing with public affairs.
UNPARALLELED IMPERTINENCE.
The Senate. however. in view Of the mes
| sage of the President, cannot fOrbear to ap-
| prise him, since he has raised the race issue,
that Frederick Douglass was, 1t Is understood,
requested TO resign the office OF Recorder OF
| Deeds in the District of Columbia in order
that James g. Matthews might be appoln ted
to the place. Without doubt Frederick Doug
laos is the most distinguished representative
of the colored race, not In this country only,
but in the world. just recognition would
have been rendered TO our colored fellow
citizens by the retention of Frederick Doug
| lass rather than by his enforced retirement
| IN order TO reward an unknown and obscure
partisan. who had never been slave, and
therefore represented the enfranchised race
only by the accident OF color.
TURN THE RAsCALS OUT.
The devotion OF the President to the politi
cal and civil advancement of the colored race
might have been equally attested and "good
faltn" might have been as strongly evinced
by the retention Of Douglass in an Office
whose duties he was discharging to
the satisfaction of the people, unless
it is to be understood that just
recognition is to be rendered only to those
members OF that race who are supposed to
entertain particular poliiica opinions, In
such a case the issue OF race disappears and
the test is politics. The Senate has no official
message OF the President whether Matthe ws
is white or black. He Is admitted TO be q
citizen Of New York.
LOCAL OFFICE.
The Office to which he is nominated ia
strictly local. The compensation for the per-
formance OF its duties is not paid by the gov
ernment. but manly by citizens OF the Dis
trlct having papers to be recorded therein.
His confirmation is opposed with substantial
unanimity by citizens of the District, with
out regard TO color, politics, or occupation.
The just principles OF self-g0yernment, as
well as the declarations Of both political
parties, justify their desire that the duties OF
| the office of Recorder 81 DEEDS should be per-
formed by some resident OF the district ac-
ceptable to those whose property 10 to be
affected by his acts, and who pay the entire
expense OF its administration.